Draft rigging for wagons



Nov. 27, 1951 E. w. HlLEs ET AL DRAFT RIGGING F'OR WAGONS Filed Dec. 13, 1947 Patented Nov. 27, i951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGING FOR WAGONS Application December 13, 1947, Serial No. 791,514

9 Claims. 1

The invention relates to vehicles such as freight or material handling wagons, and it is concerned more particularly with an improved draft rigging for such vehicles.

Wagons for handling freight have heretofore been known, in which a draft tongue has a handle portion for application of manual draft thereto, and also a lug portion for application of draft to the tongue from a power driven conveyor system, the lug portion being engageable in draft transmitting relation with a floor embedded power propelled chain of the conveyor system by lowering of the draft tongue about a horizontal pivot axis on the wagon, and the lug being disengalgeable from the conveyor chain by upward swinging of the tongue about said pivot axis. Such wagons, as heretofore constructed, are believed to have not been entirely satisfactory, particularly in the matter of steerability of the Wagon while the draft tongue is coupled with the conveyor chain, and also in the matter of positioning the tongue in desirable relation to the wagon body While it is coupled with the conveyor chain. The present invention contemplates the provision of a wagon which may be propelled alternatively by hand or by a power driven conveyor system, and which avoids the aforementioned and other shortcomings and inadequacies of the prior art in a practical and fully satisfactory manner.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved wagonof the above mentioned character, in which the draft tongue is mounted on a swivel truck of the wagon and in such a manner that positive steering movement will be applied to the swivel truck when the wagon is propelled on an arcuate course by lthe conveyor chain.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Vide an improved .draft rigging for wagons, and more particularly one in which a draft tongue is adjustable endwise and angularly to different positions, and in which adjustment of the tongue to at least one of said positions Will automatically secure it against endwise movement in one direction and also against angular movement in both directions or at least one direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging of the hereinabove mentioned character incorporating a .draft tongue 2 adapted for alternative application of draft thereto either by hand or from a iloor embedded conveyor chain, and in which the draft tongue when coupled with the conveyor chain will be retained in a vertical or otherwise out of the Way position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging of the hereinabove mentioned character, in which the draft tongue will be prevented from dropping to the floor when it is out of cooperative engagement with the conveyor chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging incorporating a iioatingly mounted draft tongue which will be readily adjustable to an operative conveyor chain engaged position, and to another operative conveyor chain disengaged position, and which draft rigging will permit maneuvering of a Wagon by manual pull as well as push on the draft tongue while the latter is disengaged from the conveyor chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging of the hereinabove mentioned character, which may be incorporated in a conventional type of Wagon either by altering the draft rigging of such wagon, or by replacing the draft rigging of the conventional type wagon with an improved draft rigging incorporating the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved draft rigging of the hereinabove mentioned character, which will be simple and foolproof; which will not be liable to get out of order or cause accidents; and whose manufacturing costs will not be materially higher than those of a conventional draft rigging for the same type of wagon.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the present invention, various novel features of which will be apparent from the description herein and the accompanying drawings disclosing an embodiment of the invention, and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a platform wagon in coupled relation with a floor embedded conveyor chain, the near front wheel of the Wagon being omitted for purposes of exposure;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the wagon shown in in Fig. 1, the floor embedded conveyor` chain andV Y parts associated therewith 'being shownin section on line II-ll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side View of part of the draft rigging of-the wagon shown in Fig. 1, the tongue of the draft rigging being shown in operative, conveyor chain engaged position;

Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top View of the parts of the draft rigging shown in Fig. 3-

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of part of the conveyor chain, part of the wagon tongue being shown in section on line VI-VI of Fig. 3; and

Figs. '1 and 8 are views illustrating different vpositions of adjustment of the draft rigging shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the platform wagon shown in these figures comprisesl a f ramestruck 4 A link structure comprising a pair of duplicate links 24 and 26 (see Figs. 1 and 2) has a rst pivot center 21 on the lower end of the post I8, and a second pivot center 28 on the tongue I9 below the supporting beams I6 and I1. The links 24 and 26 extend at opposite sides of a laterally recessed lowerV portion of the rearward post I8, the thickness of said lower portion of the post I8 ture generally designated bythe reference char-1,

aeter I, a pair of rear wheels` 2, and a Wheeled front swivel truck generally designated bythe reference character 3. A supporting axle 4Vfor the rear wheels 2 is mounted in depending brackets 5 Yof the frame structure I, and a pair of front wheels 5 of the front swivel truck are mounted on an axle 1 at the opposite ends Vof the latter, as best shown in Fig. 2. A mounting structure for the axle 1 comprises an inverted channel 8 and a pair of supporting brackets 9 on which the axle 'l is mounted and which depend from the channel 8 at the opposite ends of the latter at the inner sides of the wheels 3. The swivel truck 3 is steerably connected with the frame structure I by means of a fifth wheel mounting which comprises a fifth wheel plate II, a bolster I2, and a pivot bolt I3, as best shown in Fig. 1. The fth wheel plate I I is secured, as by welding, to the top surface of the channel 3, and the bolt I3 extends through a bottom plate of the bolster I2 and through alined holes in thefifth wheel plate II and in the'ohannel 8, and carries a nut I4 at the inner side of the channel 8. The bolt I3 determines the pivot center about which the swivel truck 3 is swingable horizontally relative to the frame structure I of the wagon. Y

Referring to the draft rigging of the wagon, a pair of fore and aft extending, horizontally spaced supporting beams-l in the form of straight angle irons I6 and I1 (see Figs. 2 and 5) are adapted to be supportedly connected at their rear ends to the swivel truck in draft transmitting relation thereto, the angle irons being secured at their rear ends to the channel 8 and to the fth wheel plate II of the swivel truck, preferably by welded seams along the straight vertical rear edges of the angle irons and by welded seams along the horizontal edges of the angle irons below the fth wheel plate II. Secured between the angle irons I6 and Il, as by welding, is a rearward post lI3, which is made of rectangular bar stock, and which depends from the angle irons I6 and I1 at a short distance ahead of the channel 8. Forwardly of the post I3, the angle irons I5 and I'I straddle a draft'tongue I9, and the i angle irons IS and I1 and the post I8 form a bracketrstructure on which the tongue is adjustably mounted as will be more fully explained hereinbelow. The tongue I9 is made of flat bar stock and has a handle portion in the form of a cross tube 2| at its upper end, and a lug portion 22 of polygonal cross section,V as shown in Fig. 6, at its lower end, the lug portion 22 being engageable in draft transmitting relation with a conveyor chain 23, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6.

being the same as the thickness of the bar stock from which the draft tongue is made. A bolt affording the rst pivot center 21 extends through rearward portions of the links 24 and 26 and through the laterally recessed' lower portion of the post I8, and another bolt affording the second pivot center 23 extends through forward portions of the links 24 and 26 and through the draft tongue I9.

A pair of guide plates 29 and 3I for the tongue I9 are secured toand extend upwardly from the Vangle irons I 6 and II, respectively, at opposite sides of the draft tongue IS. The guide plates 29 and 3I are arranged in overlapping relation with the vertical 'flanges of the angle irons IS and Il, respectively, and are secured thereto preferably by welding. The guide plates 29 and 3| are connectedtogether by a vertical spacer strip 32 which is secured, preferably by welding, Vto the guide plates along their vertically extending rear edges.Y A vertical slot 33, which is open at its upper end, is formed in the portion of the guide plate 29 above the angle iron I3, the slot terminating at its lower end approximately in alignment with the horizontal flange of the angle iron I5. A similar slot 34 (Fig. 4) is formed in the guide plate 3l andrin registry with therslotV 33. The slots 33 and 34 areadapted to receive a cross pin 33 which is rigidly secured, as by welding, to the tongue I9, and which may be loweredinto and raisedv from said slots by endwise downward and upward movement, respectively, of the draft tongue I9, as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 7.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the lug portion22 of the draft tongue I 9 is intended for engagement in draft transmitting relation with aconveyor chain 23, and preparatory'to such-engagement the wagon is manipulated into astraddling position with reference to the conveyor chain 23;

as shown in Fig. 2. The conveyor chain 23 is ar- Y ranged to move in a suitable guideway 31 below the floor level 38, and forms part of a generally conventional conveyor system including a drive mechanism, not shown, for the chain'23,I and which continuously operates to move the chain 23 in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1 at a relatively' low speed, such as, for instance, a slow walking speed. The conveyor chain 23 comprises a series of alternating single links 39 and double links 4I, which are jointed by vertical hinge `pins 42, as best shown in Figs.V 3 and 6. Each of the single links 39 comprises a pair of horizontally spaced side bars 43 and. 44 (see Fig. 6), and the lug portion 22 of the draft tongue is adapted to be lowered into and raised from the space between the side bars 43 and 44 of any of the links 39'. A- conveyor chain engagingl front edge 45 and a conveyor chain engaging rear edge 41 of the lug portion 22' extend longitudinally of the tongue I9, as shown in Fig. 3, and the side faces of thelug 22 are beveled'to forma pair of conveyor chain engaging ridges 43 and 49 thereon, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, which.. extend longitudinally of the tongue. I9 at opposite sides, respectively, of the latter intermediate the longitudinally extending front and rearedges 43 and 41. In the illustrated embodiment of the inven-` tion, the edges 46 and 41 are formed by surface portions of the lug 22 which extend transversely of the side bars 43 and 44 ofthe link 39 when the tongue I9 is engaged with the conveyor ch-ain as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

It will be understood that the conveyor system comprising the chain 23 is laid out to pull the wagon not only in a straight ahead direction but also around curves or corners, and the path of travel for the wagon may also` include more or less steep inclines. Assuming that the draft rigging is adjusted to the. position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and that the conveyor chain 23 is moving in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1; under these conditions, the rear edge 41 of the lug portion 22 of the draft tongue I9 will be engaged with the rearward pin yboss of the link 39 with which the lug 22 is coupled, and as a result the draft tongue will be subject to thrust which tends to swing the handle end of the draft tongue I9 rearwardly about the second pivot center 28. Such rearward swinging movement of the draft tongue is prevented by engagement of the cross pin 36 with the rear edges of the slots 33 and.34, so that the wagon will be propelled in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1. During such propulsionthe swivel truck 3 of the wagon will be positively steered when the wagon passes around any curves or corners because the point of draft application to the wagon tongue I9 by the conveyor chain 23 is well in advance of the pivot center at I3 of the swivel truck 3. It will further be noted that the ridges 48 and 49 on the lug portion 22 provide for ready angular displacement of the link 39 relative to the draft tongue when the wagon is being pulled on a curve or around a corner.

On a downward incline of the iioor, the wagon may tend to overtravel the chain 23, but as long as the lug 22 of the draft tongue is engaged with the chain 23, and the pin 3B is seated in the slots 33 and 34, such overtraveling of the wagon is positively prevented by contact of the pin 36 with the forward edges of the slots 33 and 34.

The lower end face of the lug portion 22 is beveled, as best shown in Fig. 3, to form an end ridge I on the draft tongue between the opposite sides of the latter. That is, the lug portion 22 has an end surface which extends downwardly and rearwardly from the lower end of the front edge 4B. While the wagon is pulled by the conveyor chain 23, the lug 22 may encounter minor obstructions on the bottom of the guideway 31, and the purpose of beveling the lug portion 22 so as to form the mentioned rearwardly and downwardly inclined end surface is to assist the tongue in riding over such minor obstructions.

In order to disconnect the wagon from the conveyor chain 23, the lug portion 22 of the tongue may be moved out of its operative conveyor chain engaged position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 by endwise upward movement of the tongue I9 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. '7. Such endwise upward movement of the tongue will raise the cross pin or stud 36 from the seats afforded by the lower ends of the slots or notches 33 and 34, and the upward movement of the tongue is limited by engagement of the links 24 and 26 with the lower horizontal edges of the guide plates 29 and 3l and of the vertical flanges of the angle irons IE and I1. It will be noted that when the links 24 and 26 strike said lower edges, the cross pin 36 of the draft tongue will be lifted entirely out of the notches 33 and 34. `The draft tongue may then be swung forwardly into ari-1 other operative, but conveyor chain disengaged position, such, for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and in which position the draft tongue is forwardly inclined so that manual draft may con= veniently be applied to the handle end of the draft tongue in order to manipulate the wagon in conventional manner. The forward edges of the guide plates 29 and 3I extend forwardly and downwardly, and theangle irons I6 and I1 extend a short distance beyond the front edges of the guide plates, as best shown in Fig.. 3. In the position of the tongue, as shown in Fig. 8, the cross pin 36 rests on the forwardly extending portions of the angle irons I6 and I1, and the handle end of the tongue is prevented from dropping to the floor by engagement of the links 24 and 26 with the angle irons I6 and I1. It will be noted that in Fig. 8 the cross pin 36 engages a first seat forwardly of and substantially in horizontal alignment with the second seat afforded by the lower ends of the slots 33 and 44, and that the pin 36 is cooperable with the front edges of the guide plates 29 and 3| to transmit rearward push from the tongue I9 to the swivel trucks 3, while the wagon is being manipulated by hand and while the tongue is adjusted to any convenient forwardly inclined position.

In order to couple the Wagon with the conveyor chain, the draft tongue is swung upwardly to the position in which it is shown in Fig. '1, after the wagon has been manipulated into a suitable position over the conveyor chain, and the draft tongue is then pushed downwardly to engage the lug portion 22 with any of the conveyor links 39. In order to facilitate entry of the lug into the aperture of the conveyor link 39, the front and rear corners and the side corners at the lower end of the lug 22 are rounded as indicated at 52 in Fig. '7 and at 53 in Fig. 4.

In general terms, the herein disclosed draft rigging comprises first connecting means between the link 24 and the wagon truck, which pivotally secure said link at one of its ends on a first center, at 21, in horizontally and vertically xed relation to said truck; second connecting means between the link 24 and the tongue I9 which pivotally secure said link at its other end on a second center, at 23, in longitudinally and transversely fixed relation to the tongue, the latter having an end portion 22 which extends radially from said second center; and third connecting means between the tongue and truck, which are selectively adjustable to a first operative condition as illustrated, by way of example, in Fig. 1, and to a second operative condition as illustrated, by Way of example, in Fig. 8. In the first operative condition, the third connecting means are effective to determine a first position of pivotal adjustment of the link 24 about the rst center, at 21, in which the second center, at 28, is spaced horizontally from the vertical pivot axis, at I3, of the truck, and to maintain the tongue I 9 in a rst position of pivotal adjustment about the second pivot center, at 28, in. which the end portion 22 of the tongue extends downwardly from the second center for engagement of said end portion in horizontal thrust transmitting relation with the floor embedded conveyor chain. In the second operative condition of the third connecting means, the latter are effective to maintain the link 24 in a second position of pivotal adjustment about the iirst pivot center, at 21, and the tongue I9 in a second position of pivotal adjustment about the second pivot center,I

at 28, which will preclude cooperativeY enga-ge# ment of the endportion 22 of-,the tongue with-the conveyor chain. c

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,` the third connecting meansr comprise a first stationary abutment element as represented Iby the slotted part of either of the side plates 29, 3l a second stationary abutment element, as represented by the seat at the'r forward ends of the beams I6 and I7, on' which the cross pin 36 may rest as shown in Fig.V 8i; and a com plementary movable abutment element, as rep' resented by the cross pin 36, which is selectively engageable with said first and second stationary abutment elements, as shown in Figspl and 8; respectively; the end portion 22 and an arm portion of the tongue on which the cross;` pin 35 is mounted, extending radially in opposite directions from the second center at 28;

The portion of the link 24 and thefportion of the beam I6 which are abuttable with each otheras shown in Fig. 8, represent means for limiting swinging movement of the link 2li on the first pivot center, at 2], in an upward direction relative t0 the wagon truck.

In the condition of `the mechanism as shown'- in Fig. 1,l the end portion 22 of the tongue te is abuttable by the conveyor chain at athrust point below the pivotv center at 2S, such thrust point being represented by the point at which they end portion 22 of the tongue contacts one of the pin` bosses of the conveyor links 4I. Further, in the condition of the mechanism as shown in Fig. l, the load transmitting element represented by thel cross pin- 36, reacts upon the support which is' represented by the beams I6, Il and associated parts, at a VVconnecting point in radially spaced relation to the pivot center at 23', so= that draftapplied by the conveyor chain at the mentioned-V thrust point to the end portionD 22 of the tongue' willbe taken up at the pivot center 28v of the link 24, and at the mentioned connecting point, that is, at the point at which the cross" pinV 362' bears against the slot 33.

The mentioned s'eat'at the for-ward endsof the beams I6, Il on whichthe cro'ssfpin 3e" restsin the condition of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 8', generally represent thrust transmitting means which react'upon the load transmitting element represented by the cross pin 35, While the tongue |9 occupies an upwardly adjusted position inT which its-end portion 22 isout ofv cooperativeengagement with Vthe' conveyor chain, so as to preclude movement of Y theV tongue totheY down` wardly adjusted position inwhichitsend portion ,f

22 engages the conveyor chain.

It should vbe understood thatitisnot-intended' to Ylimit theinvention to the hereinabove de= scribed. forms and details, and that the inven-- tion includes such other forms and modificationsas are embraced by the scope of the appended claims.

Y It is claimed and desired tosecure Aby Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a wheeled wagontruck Y (ill porting beams; a pair of guide plates for said tongue securedto and extending upwardly from saidfsupporting beams, respectively, at oppositeY sides of saiddraft' tongue", each of said guide plates Vhaving a vertical slotopen., at" its upperr end, and a cross pin mounted on said tong-ue and adapted to be lowered into and raised fromv said slots by endwisedoWnwa-rd-'and upward move' ment', respectively, ofr said draft tongue.-

2'. The combination set forth in claim .1', yin which said draft tongueV has an end portion below said supporting beamsvv adapted for` coupling engagement in horizontal Vdraft transmitting relai- 5. In combination withL the swivel trucker wagon,.a draft rigging comprising, a vertically and a horizontally extendingl supporting member' rigidly connected with said truck, a dra-ftl tong-ue, a link, first connecting means between said' linkv and said vertically extending supporting mem-QA ber pivotally securing'. .said link at one of its ends on a first center in. horizontally and vertircally fixed relation to said truck,` second connectin'g means between said link and tongueI pivotale ly securing said link' at its other end` on 'asecond center in longitudinali-y' and' transversely fixed relation to said tongue', said tongue having an arm portion and an end portionextending radial' ly in oppositedirections fromj said second center, and third connecting means between saidy armfy portion of said tongue and-said horizontally ex' tending supporti-ng member', selectively adjustable to a first-and to' a' second operative condi# tion',` said third connecting means' being effective said first operative condition? thereof toestab'-` lishv a quadrilateral relation between said arm perdon' ofsai'd tongue; iinkand supporting mme .i bers, in which said endporti'on of said tongue" projects `downwardly from said second' center for' engagement inV horizontal thrust transmitting relation with" al floorl embedded conveyor' chain,

and said thirdA connecting means being' effective in said second' operati-ve condition' thereof, to place said link andS tongue' in positions' relative to said supporting members, which' will preclude' cooperative engagement of said end portion'- f said tongue'withlsaid'cnveyor chai-n'.v

6: In combinationf'with a wheeled' wagon truck adapted for swivel'movement'onl a vertical axis, a draftV rigging comprising a'jl draft tongue, a link, rst connecting means between said truck and link pivotally securingsaid link at one of its ends on a firstcenter in horizontally" and`vvertically fixed relationto' said truck, second connectingV means between said Vlink.1 and tongue pivotally securing-said link atits other end onl a second3 center in longitudinally and transversely fixed relationv to said' tongue, said tong-ue having an arm portion-andan end portion extendingfra'dial# ly in opposite directions'5 from' sa-id' s'e'condcenter', first and` second stationary abutment el'eni'entsVv operatively connected with said truckianda) coln" plementay movable1 abutment-element operai" tively connected with said arm portion of said tongue and selectively engageable with said stationary abutment elements, respectively, so that cooperative engagement of said movable abutment element with said iirst stationary abutment element will be effective to determine a first position of pivotal adjustment of said link about said iirst center in which said second center is spaced horizontally from said vertical axis, and to maintain said tongue in a first position of pivotal adjustment about said second center in which said end portion of said tongue extends downwardly from said second center for engagement of said end portion in horizontal thrust transmitting relation with a floor embedded conveyor chain, and so that cooperative engagement of said movable abutment element with said second stationary abutment element will be effective to determine a second position to pivotal adjustment of said link about said iirst center, and a second position of pivotal adjustment of said tongue about said second center, which will preclude cooperative engagement of said end portion of said tongue with said conveyor chain.

7. A draft rigging as set forth in claim 6, and further comprising means for limiting swinging movement of said link on said iirst pivot center in an upward direction relative to said truck.

8. In combination with a wheeled wagon truck adapted for swivel movement on a vertical axis, a draft rigging comprising a draft tongue, a link, rst connecting means between said truck and link pivotally securing said link at one of its ends on a first center in horizontally and vertically fixed relation to said truck, second connecting means Ibetween said link and tongue pivotally securing said link at its other end of a second center in longitudinally and transversely fixed relation to said tongue, said tongue having an end portion extending radially from said second center, and third connecting means between said tongue and truck selectively adjustable to a rst and to a second operative condition, vsaid third connecting means being eiective in said rst operative condition thereof to determine a first position of pivotal adjustment of said link about said first center in which second center is spaced horizontally from said vertical axis, and to maintain said tongue in a first position of pivotal adjustment about said second center in which said end portion of said tongue extends downwardly from said second center for engagement of said end portion in horizontal thrust transmitting relation with a oor embedded conveyor chain, and said third connecting means being effective, in said second operative condition thereof, to maintain said link in a second position of pivotal adjustment about said rst center, and said tongue in a second position of pivotal adjustment about said second center, which will preclude cooperative engagement of said end portion of said tongue with said conveyor chain.

9. A mechanism for selectively coupling a wheeled wagon truck with and uncoupling it from a floor embedded conveyor chain, said mechanism comprising a support, a link pivoted at one of its ends on said support for up and down movement of its other end relative to said support, a tongue having a pivot center on said` link at the other end of the latter and an end portion abuttable in horizontal thrust transmitting relation with said conveyor chain at a thrust point below said pivot center, a load transmitting element connected with said tongue for movement therewith relative to said support and reacting upon said support at a connecting point in radially spaced relation to said pivot center while said tongue occupies a downwardly adjusted position relative to said support, so that draft applied by said conveyor chain at said thrust point to said end portion of said tongue will be taken up at said pivot center and connecting point, and thrust transmitting means connected with said support and reacting upon said load transmitting element while said tongue occupies and upwardly adjusted position relative to said support in which said end portion of said tongue is out of cooperative engagement with said conveyor chain, so as to preclude movement of said tongue to said downwardly adjusted position.

EARL W. HILES. WALTER H. RUTI-IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,348 Jackman Jan. 17, 1905 1,000,106 Morris Aug. 8, 1911 1,124,271 Bernheim Jan. 12, 1915 1,437,536 Mason Dec. 5, 1922 2,022,186 Butler Nov. 26, 1935 2,200,964 Morton May 14, 1940 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,576,178 November 27, 1951 It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 9, line 19, for to read of; line 37, for of line 32, for and read an;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the rase in the Patent Office. Signed and sealed this 4th day of March, A. D. 1952.

read on; column 10,

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

